The conveyance of a movable assembly along a mast is a characteristic common to several apparatuses or tools, including jacks and bar clamps. A disadvantage in certain of these tools is that movement of the movable assembly, often incorporating a jaw, along the mast is accomplished entirely in small increments.
In other such tools, conveyance of the movable assembly along the mast can either be in small increments or large spans. In the latter mode, the movable assembly may, when disengaged from the mast, be moved freely in both directions along the mast. However, tools capable of movement in two modes are commonly complicated by cumbersome manipulation. Use of the tool may require the operator to use both hands to manipulate multiple actuators (e.g., switches or arms).
An apparatus conveyable along a mast in which conveyance could alternatively be in small increments or large spans and in which such conveyance in either mode could be easily achievable by a single operator using a single hand would be desirable. Such an apparatus would be useful in a variety of applications, including jacks and bar clamps.